The Rules of the Game
by Waywatcher
Summary: It's not often Byleth makes requests, so despite their skepticism both Edelgard and Jeralt sit down for a talk. A game of chess should ease things along, right?


**Disclaimer****: I don't own Fire Emblem Three Houses, all rights to the owners.**

**I don't know where this idea came from. This would likely never happen in the established cannon, as Edelgard and Jeralt barely interact. I suppose Byleth could take Jeralt's place here, but it doesn't quite seem their style.**

**Whatever. Doesn't matter. Take this or leave it as you wish. Perhaps consider it a "what might have been" situation.**

* * *

Edelgard crosses her legs and sits up straight in the chair. She's putting on a facade of confidence, but in reality she's nervous. This is a strange request for her Professor to make. Why would they want her to speak to Jeralt? She's a dutiful student, so she'll oblige, but she's cautious. Does Byleth sense something wrong? Most of the time they do not strike Edelgard as particularly perceptive (except on the battlefield), but perhaps she tipped her hand a bit too much?

"I don't know why they're suddenly so into tea, but they insisted I serve some." Jeralt says as he sits down across the table from her. With surprising delicacy, he places the platter down on the table. There's not just tea; some small biscuits can be found on their own small plate. "Kid said it was called bergamot. Whatever that means…"

Edelgard knows what it means. It's her favourite tea.

The two sit in silence and sip their tea. It's not been prepared with the _utmost_ skill, but it's plenty passable for Edelgard's tastes. Jeralt, on the other hand, hides a bit of a grimace at the taste. The princess isn't surprised. Tea in general is a bit of an acquired taste.

The girl in red casts her gaze around the room for a moment. A few suits of polished armor are pushed against one wall, along with Jeralt's own which looks very out-of-place being mostly dark, scuffed metal and stained leather.

"_A warrior's armor._" Edelgard thinks to herself. "_Someone who has __earned_ _this station, even if they didn't intend for it_."

"I'm assuming Byleth didn't give you any more clue what this was supposed to be about than me, did he?"

"If by that you mean they only said "go talk to Jeralt", then yes."

"Yeah, that was pretty much what I got too: "Talk to Edelgard. Also, serve this. It's bergamot."" Jeralt says, poorly mimicking his child's voice. His naturally deep voice is at odds with Byleth's, though he gets the usual unaffectedness of the professor's voice right. "So, with that in mind…" He pulls something out of his coat. It's a small, beat-up game board. "I always find a game helps. Chess or checkers?"

"Chess."

"White or black?"

"Black."

Jeralt sets up the game. The pieces are well-worn, clearly having seen plenty of use. The knights used to have ears, but they've been worn down, as have the crowns of the queens and the corners of the kings' crosses. Some of the pawns has noticeable nicks in the body or head, likely from being knocked down so often.

"Byleth's kinda an expert at this. I can't compare." Jeralt says modestly. "So, if you've played him, I might be a bit of a pushover in comparison."

"I have not played him yet, nor have I played much of chess. If any will be underwhelming, I fear it will be me, if only for lack of experience." Edelgard responds calmly.

"If only for lack of experience?" Jeralt chuckles. "Well, you certainly don't lack for confidence."

Edelgard allows herself a small smirk. "You move first."

The game goes for a few moves without much conversation. The moves take a while as both players carefully analyze each move, although both are yet to take a peice or get any significant positional advantage.

"Early moves are the most important you know." Jeralt says about seven moves in, breaking the silence. "Sets you up for the rest of the game. I could never really tell what was good or not from just theory. Trial and error has gotten me this far."

"Yes…" Edelgard murmurs. "Such is the nature of many things. Early advantages and disadvantages can decide the course of things. The early moves in a game, a war, a first impression, your entire life…"

"Sounds unfortunate when you put it that way." Jeralt grunts. "I'd like to think there's something to be said for us old men. We're not only the result of our experiences… just mostly."

"Mostly." Edelgard agrees. "As is anyone. There is a reason turning one's life around is seen as a monumental task after all. Were one's learned lessons and experiences irrelevant, dramatic changes would be effortless."

"Can't argue with that." Jeralt agrees. "At least it's possible though. Not easy, but possible."

"Indeed… if only wide change were as possible."

"People are stubborn, and… well, they're stupid." Jeralt shrugs. "Everyone is both of those things to some extent or another. Problems happen when a lot of people are stubborn about the same thing, and that thing isn't necessarily great."

"Very true." Edelgard says slowly. She's still isn't sure about this, but she may have an idea as to why her professor sent her here. "Mr Eisner? A question."

"Shoot."

"How does one go about making big changes, keeping in mind people are stubborn?"

"Depends on context." He shrugs. "Sometimes it's as simple as showing people that one thing is wildly better than the other. Immediate practicality tends to win people over quick."

"What about something more… theological?"

"Eh… if you're trying to talk philosophy to peasants, you might be disappointed." He grunts. "It's not even a problem of them being stupid. A lot of them will get what you're talking about if you explain it well enough. It's just that they won't give a damn. Philosophy doesn't put food on their plate."

"Hmm…"

"That said, it's not impossible. Peasant revolts have happened for philosophical reasons before. Usually because the upper class is fucking things up." Jeralt offers. He then winces. "Uh, pardon my language."

Edelgard snorts. She uncrosses her legs, and leans forward to properly engage with the game. "Please, do not hold back on my account. I am not much for propriety, despite what my appearance and station might suggest."

"Noted. Now… I have a question for you, if you don't mind."

"By all means. This would be an unfair exchange otherwise."

"Why the focus on big change?" Jeralt asks bluntly. "I suspect this is something sorta above my scope and all, but… I'm curious."

And there lies the crux of the matter. Edelgard debates on how much to say, and settles for something suitably vague. "I see _problems_. In the empire, in Fodlan, in the world…"

"Well, there's no surprise." The older man chuckles. He finally makes his move, flicking his second knight out of its starting position. "The way you say that makes it sound like you have plans to do something, or at least you want to."

"You are not wrong."

"Well, good on you."

"Yes… you may say that, but change is not always pleasant." Edelgard says softly.

The man raises an eyebrow.

"I fear the problems I see cannot be remedied in a fashion others will find agreeable, and while I do not enjoy the idea, I may have to resign myself to being the one to execute those unfavorable changes."

"Ahh…" Jeralt says, and leans back in his chair. "I get it now."

"Pardon?"

"I get why my kid wanted me to talk to you. He always took a shine to that speech…" The mercenary muses. "I won't lecture you, I don't think that would be helpful. Instead, let me speak in metaphor for a moment, yeah?"

"Go on…"

"Let's say your pieces are a nation I take issue with." Jeralt says. "Let's say that's the premise for chess. It more or less is anyhow."

Edelgard nods. She clasps her hands in front of her face, hiding her mouth and hopefully her reactions.

"According to the rules, I win by capturing the king." Jeralt continues. "I plow through your other pieces, or maybe devise some trap that allows me to win. You kill your way to victory, and while the minor details might change, in the end it's a war. There's no other option. Unless you can get a surrender of course."

Edelgard nods again. That seems quite accurate to her situation. She has a few options, but most of them all lead to the same thing. In the end, pieces have to fall, and the metaphorical king has to be captured.

"Now…" Jeralt says. He slowly reaches over the board, and flicks her king off the board. "I win."

"What?"

"I win."

"I did not surrender, and that is not a legitimate move."

"According to rules of chess, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm locked to legal moves, right?"

"Yes."

"Except I'm not."

"Pardon?"

"Here's the thing kid." Jeralt says in a low, soft voice. "Life isn't a board game. The only rules are the ones you hold yourself to. Chess, society, conventional wisdom, precedent, _whatever_… those might say war is the only option. But, that only applies if you hold yourself to those rules. If you don't, well, you can just flick your opponent's king off the board."

"Well-"

"I'm not done." Jeralt says firmly. "I can flick my opponent's king of the board, yes, but does that make me win? Maybe. Maybe I just want the king gone. But who says I need to kill the king? There's more than one way to defeat a foe. Sure, you can stab them, poison them, shoot them. You can kill them a dozen different ways... or, you can talk them down. You can trick them into getting themselves captured, you can exile them, you can make them so powerless that you don't _need_ to kill them. Heck, why target the king at all? A king isn't the only major force in a country. If you can turn the army, the peasantry, the nobility, _any_ of those to your side, you might get a bloodless win just by a show of their support. There is _never_ just one victory condition, and there is never just one way to get that victory… unless, of course, you're playing a board game."

Jeralt sits back and crosses his arms, giving the princess a moment to think. She takes a minute, then speaks. "What if… what if playing by the rules is the fastest option? What if no other options are feasible in the time you have?"

The mercenary snorts. "You missed the whole point, didn't you? Kid… there's _never_ just one option, even if restricted by time. There's more than one way to skin a deer, and a lot of them are pretty equal in speed. It's just a matter of knowing how to do it."

Edelgard purses her lips. "That seems overly optimistic."

"Does it? Maybe it is." Jeralt shrugs. "We all have our strengths though. Your "only option" is your only option because you don't have the skills to do something else. That's a solvable problem."

"Get more skills?"

"Well sure… or just ask for help."

"Ah. You think it that simple?"

"Trust me, there's _always_ someone who will help." He chuckles. "There's always going to be someone else who shares your ideas who will lend a helping hand and their ideas, and for someone as charismatic as you, that shouldn't be a problem."

Edelgard doesn't think it's that simple. It can't be that simple… but he has some points that are hard to argue against. She's been refraining from revealing her plan for the sake of surprise, but that exact thing might be restricting her options because she can't ask around for other opinions.

Edelgard has always known she was on a dangerous path. She's had her plan in motion for too long just to stop it… at least, that's what she tells herself. She hasn't been looking for other options, she made up her mind a long time ago… and maybe that's the problem.

She can't promise that she can stop the war she's going to set in motion, but maybe she can look for some other way to get what she wants, that reduces collateral damage.

She told Byleth that she wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice her citizens to get what she wants, and that's still true. If they offer their lives in her service, she'll make the most of them. It would be an insult to do anything less. If they're going to die in the dirt somewhere, slowly bleeding out, she wants them to be able to know that they were _important_. That their death was not in vain.

Actually, now that she thinks about it, what she said to him "I won't hesitate to sacrifice the lives of my citizens to achieve my goals" really sounds like she was endorsing conscription in the worst way possible: selfish pursuit of her own projects.

Did Byleth send her to their father as a roundabout way of telling her there's an out? He didn't think confronting her would work, so he did this?

"I can see you thinking. I think my job is done." Jeralt chuckles.

"Indeed… thank you Sir Eisner."

* * *

**I don't think Edelgard could actually be this easily swayed, but it was an idea I wanted to write anyways. Maybe, in another universe where Edelgard isn't so certain she knows what's right for the world, something like this could make for a better outcome.**

**I suppose, if you'll allow, I want to mention how I see Edelgard so far: She's someone who's dangerously certain she knows what's right for the world, and won't listen to alternatives. She's much more narrow-minded than her worldview would suggest, as she somehow sees war as the only means possible to achieve her goals. Jury's out on whether war was the easiest option, but it was certainly not the only option, and Edelgard doesn't strike me as one to take the easy path so I can only assume she didn't see (or care to try and see) the other options. There's a lot of nuance in the situation what with her family actually not having a lot of power, her needing to change the values of all of Fodlan and not just Adrestia, and the fact that she has good reason to suspect no one significant would help her because nobles have a lot to gain from the status quo. War has been the default way to change the world (for better or for worse) for a long time, and I think Edelgard just doesn't see anything else as a possibility for whatever reason.**

**Then again, what do I know? It's always nice to think there's a better way to do something, but sometimes hard decisions have to be made sooner than anyone is prepared for. There might be another way, but no one knows how to pull it off, and no one wants to risk failure, so you use the way you know will work.**

**Incidentally, I've written her here as softer and more open than I think she is in game. I've softened her more brutal and amoral aspects to something semi-heroic (an anti-hero I guess, rather than an anti-villain). I tend to do that for most of the characters I write, and mostly it's just me projecting ideas onto her to make her more redeemable, because I like redeemable characters.**


End file.
